Benue 2023: Report about me bowing to pressure to contest for governor mischievous – Akase

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Terver Akase, has described as mischievous the report that he had bowed to pressure to contest the 2023 governorship election in the state.

A Benue-based newspaper had earlier claimed that Akase had made up his mind to join the guber race to succeed his principal in 2023.

However, the CPS has come out to say the report was only sponsored by his detractors to pitch him against his principal.

Akase, in a statement personally signed, called the general public to disregard the report in its entirety.

His statement reads below:

I read a report by one local newspaper which later went viral insinuating that I have bowed to pressure and am set to join the Benue 2023 guber race.

I suspect that the report is an attempt by my detractors who want to make it appear like I have ignored the directive of my principal, His Excellency Governor Samuel Ortom who told us (his appointees) on 3rd February, 2021 to refrain from any form of political campaigns directly or indirectly.

I was one of the first to issue a statement in compliance with the Governor’s directive that same day. I couldn’t have therefore turned round to violate the directive.

Benue people and other Nigerians are not in the right mood at the moment to wake up and read political campaign reports in the media when people are being killed by herdsmen and other terrorists across the country.

I implore the general public to dismiss the said newspaper report in its entirety as I have nothing to do with it and its contents remain false.

What is paramount to me now is to make my modest contribution towards the success of Governor Ortom’s administration.